POLICE say cutting the speed limit on a road which has seen three fatal crashes in four years is not a solution to reducing the risk of collisions.

The comment comes as calls increase from councillors, the public and Tatton’s MP for a cut in the 60mph limit on Manchester Road in Knutsford.

The road has seen three fatal crashes in four years. In March a motorcyclist died following a collision with a car near The Cottons Hotel and Spa.

In 2016 Miroslaw Chlap, a chef at the hotel, died after being hit by a car outside the hotel as he cycled home from work, and a motorcyclist died in 2015 after colliding with a car outside Fryer’s Garden Centre.

In August a motorcyclist suffered serious injuries in a collision with a car, and there was a collision between two cars at 1.30pm on Saturday near the hotel, although neither driver was injured.

Town councillors are calling for the 60mph limit to be reduced, as are Tatton MP Esther McVey and Cottons Hotel general manager Steve Ogden, and 600 people signed an online petition calling for a review of the limit.

The highways authority said there was ‘no immediate plan’ to cut the speed limit, but it would be reviewed as part of the access strategy to serve planned new housing in north-west Knutsford.

Supt Jo Marshall-Bell from Cheshire Police said the road was ‘very much’ on the force’s ‘radar’.

She said: “There have been a number of site meetings with Cheshire East Highways and the sergeants from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit to understand what causes collisions and to find long-term solutions.

“We have already changed the exit point for Fryer’s Garden Centre onto its northern end of the car park, which gives those exiting greater visibility in both directions.

“There are more options and ideas that have been discussed, including sight lines from the exit point for the Cottons Hotel.

“We will continue to work with the highways department to engineer out the risks for motorists – currently our research is telling us that reducing the speed limit is not one of those solutions.

“We already know from our research for our Fatal 5 road safety campaign that careless driving is our biggest killer in Cheshire, with three out of five fatal collisions in 2018 believed to be as a result of careless driving.”

Tatton MP Esther McVey has met with Cheshire East Council bosses over the speed limit issue and supported the petition.

She said: “I fully supported calls for the speed limit on Manchester Road to be reduced. It was very clear that action was needed to ensure no more lives were lost.

“When I wrote to Cheshire East Council, and in meetings I have had with them about this, I set out my concerns along with those of people who had contacted me and urged them to introduce safety measures on the stretch of road.

“The indications are there will be justification for the reduction [in the speed limit], and I hope the review will conclude that.

“The two developments planned for further down that road does allow Cheshire East to reduce the limit within the national parameters.

“I will continue to work with our local councillors who cover the area to push for this reduction, as we must ensure we have a safe area and the correct speed limits.

“I also want to pay tribute to Allan McNicol who started the e-petition putting pressing on the council to reduce the limit, and all those who have campaigned for this necessary change.

“One life lost is one too many, and we should do everything we can to make our roads safer and keep fighting to ensure this speed limit reduction gets the green light.”

Steve Ogden said: “60 miles an hour is too fast for a road where there are local business and domestic properties, and there are examples of roads coming out of Knutsford where their speed limits have been reduced.

“I cannot understand why the police believe that reducing the speed limit will not solve the problem. I am baffled by the police stance.”

Cllr Brian Roberts, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for highways and waste, said: “We can confirm that we have been in correspondence with the MP for Tatton, Esther McVey, regarding local concerns over the current speed limit on the A50 between Knutsford and Mere.

“We can advise that there is no immediate plan to reduce the speed limit.

“However, we can confirm this will be reviewed as part of the access strategy to serve the proposed new residential developments in north-west Knutsford, currently subject to the planning process.”

Supt Marshall-Bell added: “I’d like to remind road users that speed limits are limits, not a target to reach. Road users should adapt their driving to the weather and road conditions.

“While we continue to work towards safer roads across the county, road users also have to take responsibility by driving safely.

“We can never completely iron out all risks - driver error is not something we can control.

“We already know from our research for our Fatal 5 road safety campaign that careless driving is our biggest killer in Cheshire, with three out of five fatal collisions in 2018 believed to be as a result of careless driving.

“We will continue to educate road users with our Fatal 5 campaign to drive the message home – there is no excuse for bad driving.”